Japanese hand scroll painting, late Edo – Meiji period, 19th - early 20th century. This 11 meter long fantastic painting comically depicts a group of well-endowed men measuring the strength each other and humorously showing off their thingies. This painting is called "toba-e", which is comical scroll pictures considered as the oldest form of manga (cartoon) in Japanese history...

Superb Kenzan ware decorated with designs of overlapping fans depicting an early winter scene with a house gate by pine trees covered with a rice straw mat as well as Japanese old poems on the interior and with stylized Japanese pampas grass design on the four sides. Edo period. In the interior decoration dated "gen-bun ni-sai" means 1737...

This scene may have been depicted from a national treasure “Hikone Byobu six panel folding screen”. The screen has been collected by the Hikone castle museum located in Shiga prefecture in Japan. The screen has been very well known for not only the quality but also as a representative masterpiece depicting the custom of the early Edo period showing early-modern Japanese history. In this painting depicts a young robust courtesan with her western puppy...

Oni (ogres) in a kimono dancing in front of the Yama, the ruler of Hell. Yama is the son of Hindu god Sun. He is the presiding deity and also known as Dharma. In Japan Yama is known as Enma. Later adopted in Buddhism, Yama was understood by Buddhists as a god of the dead, supervising the various Buddhist "hells". A line of souls leads to his office where he decides whether a soul goes to Heaven or Hell. Oni are considered as a servant under the Enma there...

An azure-winged magpie perched preening on a pomegranate tree. Painted on silk with ink and pigments. The colorful fruits of the pomegranate and bird’s feather make for decorative composition. In Japan, bird and flower painting began painted during Heian period (794-1185) influenced by Chinese Northern Song Paintings. It became more popular in Momoyama period when Shogun decorated their castles with splendid paintings...

An ukiyo-e folding screen depicts a group of ladies preparing for Japanese Star festival called Tanabata festival, which takes place on the 7th day of the 7th month of the year. Painted on silk with ink and pigments. On the right panel depicts a beautiful woman sitting at the coffee table preparing to write her wishes on the colorful piece of paper. As part of the custom, the wishes are to be hanged on a bamboo tree in the hope that they become true...

A set of three hanging scroll paintings depicts Japanese old custom and figures. Painted on silk with ink and pigments. The piece is accompanied by an old paulownia wood store box with an inscription reads Kawanabe Kyosai Shinseki means authenticating the paintings. The paintings are vividly well depicted in brush works with full of life. Sealed.

Kawanabe Kyosai (1831-1889) was a Japanese artist active during late Edo period – Meiji period in Japan. He born into a samurai family...

An antique okinawan incense container decorated with a lacquer and inlayed mother of pearl depicting a dragon appearing from clouds. Circa 19th Century. Mother-of-pearl inlay, which is known Raden in Japan was first introduced to Japan during Nara period (710-784). The technique was popularly used with lacquer for artworks such as instruments. It is in good condition with tiny loss of inlayed mother of pearl. The piece accompanied a poulownia wood store box...

A standing beauty. She wears a summer kimono of silk gauze looking back while adjusting her decorative obi (sash). This ukiyo-e painting interestingly shows the custom at the time of mid Edo period, where women put layers of red rouge on their lower lips to make it shiny like a jewel beetle. This trend became extremely popular among courtesans and girls to look as sexy. For the colour of the lips, they were called “sasabeni”, which literally translates as bamboo lips. While only high ranking...

Shinno has been worshiped as the god of agriculture and regarded as one of the three sovereigns appearing on a Chinese old tradition. It has been said he tasted various herbs to check the effects, and teach people agriculture and medical science. According to Chinese legendary tale, his body was so transparent that people could see the internal organs. When shinno ate an herb, if it was poisonous, the organs would become black, or particular organs would turn a different colour if it had a good ...

Ink bird and flower painting. A pair of seasonal birds called penduline tits perch on a willow tree depicted with blooming camellia. This bird and flower are commonly seen in winter in Kyushu area or southern part of Japan, where Chikuden often enjoyed traveling. Painted with ink on paper. Signed Chikuden and sealed. Tanomura Chikuden (1777-1835) was a Japanese painter of Edo period. He studied Confucianism as well as poetry and painting. He often mingled with the literati active during Bunka ...

The night is gentle and serene; the moon is casting the willows in the dark. The silhouette of a flying bat wavered across the moonlight. Painted on silk with ink. Signed Chokujo and sealed. Fukada Chokujo (1861-1947) was a Japanese painter active during Meiji and early Showa period. He studied painting under Morikawa Sobun.

The painting and mounting are overall in reasonable condition with some tiny marks are present due to age. The piece is wearing a fabric pattered with bats. It is ac...

A pair of sparrows perches in a vine. Painted with ink and pigments on silk. Signed Shunkin and sealed.Urakami Shunkin (1779-1846) was a Japanese Nanga (Southern literati) painter active during late Edo period (1603-1867). He was the eldest son and a pupil of Uragami Gyokudo (1745-1820), from whom he learnt painting. Shunkin was well adept at bird-and-flower as well as landscape paintings. He was also excel at calligraphy, poetry as well as an excellent appraiser in antiques and old calligraph...

Unique Zen ink wash painting depicts scroll and bamboo broom representing Kanzan and Jittoku. Kanzan and Jittoku were Zen eccentric monks thought to have lived at a monastery on Mt. Tendai in China during the Tang period (618-907). They had a thorough knowledge of Buddhist philosophy. Kanzan often depicted holding a scroll, presumably of his poetry, while Jittoku holding a broom, indicating his position as a scullion at a monastery. Their unconventional appearances have often been painted by Zen...

A heron quietly stands still in reeds. Depicted on silk with ink. Heron has been a favorite bird of Japanese artists since ancient times. The Chinese character used for the name of the bird represents a dewdrop that shimmers in the morning sun. This may have reminded as the glistening dewdrop of the snow white plumage of the bird. White heron has also another name “Sekkaku” meaning a visitor in the snow. As shown in the names, the feeling of living moment of the bird has vividly captured in ...

The painting depicted a samurai met an old man at night. In Japan there are many legendary tales of ogre extermination where samurai fights with ogre to protect people and their town. Some folklore says that the ogre turns into human and attacks people go around. Here, the samurai was prepared for the fight by the torii, which is a traditional Japanese gate commonly found at the entrance of or within a Shinto shrine, where it symbolically marks the transition from the profane to the sacred. Whil...

A samurai and his retainer helping his load to dress in armor. Painted with ink and pigments on silk. During Warring States period (sengoku period), samurai had a specialist retainer who can put armors on them before going to a war. The specialist stylists were familiar with armor and well aware of the order of dressing up so that samurai did not waste their time to join the war. Signed Hogan Eishin and sealed.
Kano Yasunobu (Eishin) (1613-1685) was a brother of Kano Tan'yu (1602-1674) and K...